In Focus-Parley | Can free public technology break the private coaching industry?

In Focus-Parley | Can free public technology break the private coaching industry?

Author: The Hindu August 20, 2026 Duration: 1:00:57
In his 2026 Independence Day address, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that the government will roll out free online coaching for competitive exams using India’s digital public infrastructure. The announcement was made in a bid to reach out to the Gen-Z youth, especially following the widespread student protests against the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) paper leak. The objective of the PM’s announcement was to save poor and middle-class families thousands of crores while also helping students prepare without leaving their homes. However, can govt. coaching classes break the private coaching industry? Here we discuss the question. Guests: Buddha Chandrasekhar, Chief Coordinating Officer of the All India Council of Technical Education (AICTE) and CEO, Anuvadini AI run under the Ministry of Education; Anubhav Shrivastava, Co-founder of Theory of Physics Host: Maitri Porecha Producer: Jude Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Each week, the journalists at In Focus by The Hindu select one pressing story from the news cycle and slow it down. Rather than a rapid headline, you’ll hear a thoughtful conversation that unpacks the layers behind an event-the historical precedents, the economic forces, the political nuances, and the human impact. This podcast relies on conversations with reporters who have been on the ground and specialists who have spent years, sometimes decades, studying a particular issue. The result is a clearer, more substantive understanding of what’s happening in India and around the world. You might explore the roots of a regional conflict one episode, and dive into the complexities of a new environmental policy the next. It’s designed for anyone who feels that the daily news skim leaves too many questions unanswered. Tune in for a consistent, deep-dive format that prioritizes context over instant reaction, making sense of the week’s most significant developments through careful analysis and expert insight.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

In Focus by The Hindu
Podcast Episodes
Bonus episode: How the UAE projects power across the Gulf and beyond [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:21
In this special bonus episode at In Focus we have a special crossover episode featuring the Hindu's Global Faultlines podcast with Sharmada Venkatasubramanian and Stanly Johny. The UAE has emerged as one of the most infl…
Does the BRICS summit signify a shift for Indian foreign policy? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:13
With a strong pushback against unilateral western sanctions; criticism of Israel over the killing of civilians, the attacks on Lebanon, and the forced occupation of Palestinian territory; and support for United Nations r…
Saving the Western Ghats | Part 2 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:19
The Western Ghats in India is a mountain range that is considered next only to the Himalayas in terms of being a biological treasure trove with a high degree of endemism and scenic beauty. It has also been declared as on…
Is BRICS coming of age? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:32
The recent BRICS summit in New Delhi, held under India’s presidency, brought together an expanded grouping at a time of major geopolitical and economic shifts. The summit sought to deepen cooperation among its members wh…
Iran takes escalation dominance [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:29
The Iran war has entered another dangerous phase, with the confrontation between Tehran and Washington increasingly spilling into the Persian Gulf. Iran has stepped up attacks on shipping around the Strait of Hormuz, whi…
Should the use of Gen AI be banned among younger students in schools? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:30
Recently, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced a one-year moratorium on generative AI tools for public school students through Class 8 for the 2026-27 academic year. Officials argued that young children require h…